Sports
‘Asaba Ready To Host Superstars Kickboxing Championship’
Organisers of the maiden Diamond Superstars National Open Kickboxing Championship, which is debuting this year in Asaba, Delta State, have declared the city ready for the competition.
The championship is slated to hold from the 15th to 21st of this month at the Delta State Sports Complex, Asaba.
Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria (KBFN) Secretary General, Mr. Olalekan Faseesin, said the Federation would be hosting the championship in conjunction with the Delta State Sports Commission, with the country’s global ring superstar, Lovethpatra Ekufu, a professional athlete of repute, as a sponsor.
Popularly known as ‘Nigerian Terminator’ due to her combativeness inside the ring, Ekufu is the first African woman Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts world champion.
Ekufu’s achievements include being a two-time kickboxing world champion, three-time Mix Martial Arts (MMA) world champion, 25 times kickboxing champion, a five-time national boxing champion, African Wushu champion and two-time Muay Thai national champion.
She has the honour of being the most decorated African women fighter of all time.
Speaking on the championship, KBFN President, Mr. Wilson Okon, praised Ekufu for giving back to the society by sponsoring the championship.
With August 15 set aside as the arrival date, the Diamond Superstars Championship will start with a seminar on August 16 and 17, while the championship proper will hold from August 18 to 20.
Leeds yesterday beat Birmingham in a penalty shootout to squeeze into the FA Cup fifth round for the third time in four years.
Goalkeeper Lucas Perri denied Tommy Doyle before Patrick Roberts, who scored a stunning equaliser in the 89th minute, blazed over.
Up stepped Sean Longstaff to score Leeds’ fourth spot-kick from four and send Daniel Farke’s side into the last 16.
Defeat was tough on Chris Davies’ Birmingham side, who pushed their Premier League opponents all the way before falling to only their third home defeat of the season.
The hosts, whose fans applauded owner Tom Wagner as the American continues his recovery from a stroke, deserve huge credit for their display.
And with their cup dream over for another year the ambitious Blues, who are two points off the Championship play-offs, will turn their attention to ending their 15-year exile from the top flight.
In one of the games of the week, Ajegunle United SC edged Best of Best International FA 2–1, courtesy of Ajibola Malik’s 12th-minute strike and James Solomon’s decisive penalty in the 40th minute. Lukman Jaiyeola had earlier equalised from the spot for Best of Best in the 23rd minute. Solomon’s match-winning effort earned him the Man of the Match award.
Pure Talents FA produced one of the standout performances of the week, thumping Sharp Talent FA 4–1. Igbowu Adeleke stole the show with a brilliant hat-trick, scoring in the 26th, 36th, and 40+1 minutes, while Isah Ibrahim added another.
Suliamon Ibrahim had briefly given Sharp Talent the lead in the 4th minute, but Adeleke’s heroics sealed the win and the Man of the Match accolade.
Divinely Blessed FA cruised to a 3–0 victory over Coal City FA, with Mahmud Musa netting twice in quick succession (30th and 34th minutes) and Amadu Daniel adding another in the 32nd minute. Daniel’s commanding display earned him the Man of the Match award.
Young 11 FA and Moree Wins FA battled to a goalless draw, with Akachukwu Uzoma of Young 11 FA recognised as Man of the Match for his solid performance among others.
Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji has claimed a silver medal at the 2026 Para-Badminton World Championship in Bahrain following the conclusion of the women’s SL3 final on Saturday,.
Bolaji put up a spirited performance in the final but fell to Japan’s Shino Kawai, settling for second place in what marks her first-ever World Championship podium finish.
Despite the final result, Bolaji’s run in Bahrain was nothing short of outstanding. The reigning African champion powered into the final with a dominant semi-final victory over China’s Gaoying Yuan, winning 21-12, 21-16 at the New Capital Indoor Hall.
Throughout the tournament, the Nigerian star showcased remarkable consistency and class, recording impressive straight-set victories over Australia’s Caitlin Dransfield, Brazil’s Adriane Ávila, France’s Milena Surreau, and Turkey’s world number five Halime Yildiz.
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